An oil additive can help improve the oil in your engines, gearboxes, automatic transmissions and bearings. However, if you have never purchased an oil additive before, you may not realize that they aren't all the same. Different additives are designed to alter your oil in different ways. Altering it incorrectly can harm the item the oil is stored in. As such, it is important to carefully read the bottle of the additive you are considering buying and find out what it is designed to do for your oil. Here are three common things different oil additives are designed to do.

Control Chemical Breakdown

Most oil additives have at least one additive in them that is designed to control chemical breakdown in your oil. Detergent additives can help clean the oil, removing deposits or oil sludge. Corrosion-inhibiting additives are designed to break down rust and prevent oxidation from occurring on the metal parts the oil comes into contact with. Antioxidant additives are designed to prevent the oil from oxidizing due to air. And metal deactivators are designed to coat your metal surfaces, preventing the metal from oxidizing the oil. Determine what additives your oil needs based on the item you are placing the oil in and the condition under which it operates.

Improve Viscosity

Oil becomes thicker or thinner depending on the temperatures it is exposed to. If it is hot outside, the oil can thin, which may prevent it from coating the parts it should. If it is cold outside, the oil can become thick, which doesn't allow it to circulate as it should. An oil additive that has a viscosity modifier is designed to help oil stay thick in hot temperatures. An oil additive that has a pour point depressant helps oil stay thin in cold temperatures.

Alter the Lubricity

The lubricity of an oil refers to the amount of friction it allows for. An oil that allows for little friction allows parts to glide smoothly, while an oil that allows for more friction can stick and adhere to parts. The amount of friction you want your oil to allow for varies based on the needs of the machine you are operating. An oil additive containing a friction-reducer works to reduce the amount of friction in your system, Extreme pressure additives helps alter the lubricity so that the oil bonds and sticks to your metal parts, even under extreme pressure situations. Antiwear additives increase friction, helping to create a film around your metal parts, protecting them from rubbing against one another.

Not all oil additives are the same. They are made with a variety of different additives to perform different functions. As such, it is important that you pay close attention to what additives have been added to an oil additive product and how they alter the oil you are adding them to. If you are unsure what type of additives you need to add to your oil, consult with the manufacturer of your machine or a company like In Motion Wholesale Distributor and Sales.